If an alternate airport is required by planning guidelines but is not available, what must the operator do?

• A. Dispatch as planned with no alternate.
• B. Do not dispatch; coordinate a different routing or delay.
• C. Wait until alternate becomes available.
• D. Dispatch with an unapproved alternate.

Answer: (B)

Alternates are backup landing sites required by planning guidelines to ensure a safe, legal plan in case the destination becomes unavailable. If no alternate that meets the criteria is available, you cannot release the flight as planned. The appropriate action is to avoid dispatching with the original routing and instead adjust the plan—either reroute to a different airport that can serve as an acceptable alternate or delay the flight until an alternate becomes available. Dispatching with an unapproved alternate would violate the planning requirements, and waiting without adjusting the plan isn’t a viable solution either. This approach keeps the flight compliant and preserves a viable safety backup.